title: Transformation of NIH3T3 fibroblasts by the c-Kit receptor tyrosine kinase: effect of receptor density and ligand-requirement.
abstract: Ectopic expression of the normal murine receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Kit, in NIH3T3 cells induced many phenotypic changes characteristic of transformation including anchorage-independent growth, focus formation and tumorigenicity in nude mice. Although transformation was largely dependent on the presence of recombinant murine Steel Factor (SLF), the ligand to the c-Kit receptor, anchorage independent growth did occur at a low frequency in the absence of added factor, and this could not be inhibited by neutralising antibodies or by SLF anti-sense mRNA. Clones from factor-independent colonies in semi-solid agar displayed a narrow range of c-Kit surface protein levels (4.3-6.4 x 10(4) receptors/cell) which was relatively high compared with the pool from which they were derived. Analysis of a larger series of random clones derived from adherent cultures expressing different levels of c-Kit demonstrated a positive correlation between SLF-dependent, anchorage-independent growth and c-Kit protein and mRNA expression levels (respectively, Rs = 0.58, P < 0.01; and Rs = 0.53, P < 0.01) with consistent colony formation observed with clones having > 2.5 x 10(4) receptors/cell. Interestingly, two of the three clones expressing the highest levels of c-Kit protein and mRNA produced few or no colonies in the presence or absence of SLF. Sequential overexpression of human c-KIT in NIH3T3 cells using a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)-encoding vector and gene co-amplification through methotrexate selection, which resulted in pools expressing up to 1.5 x 10(5) receptors/cell, confirmed that high receptor densities resulted in a decrease in colony numbers. Thus, analysis of clonal and selected populations has indicated that an optimal level of c-Kit is required for transformation of NIH3T3 cells in the presence of SLF, and that some ligand-independent transformation occurs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology, Hanson Centre for Cancer Research, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caruana
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cambareri
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gonda
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Ashman
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D008024:Ligands; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D008727:Methotrexate